Old, antique map of Netherlands by H. Moll. 1715
Herman Moll (1654? – 1732)
Herman Moll, a geographer and cartographer, was born in Bremen and went to London about 1675, possibly as a refugee from the turmoil of the Scanian Wars of 1674 to 1679.
At first, he practised as an engraver and then, starting in 1694, moved into atlas production. His range of atlases and maps produced for other publishers is extensive.
Around 1715 Moll issued The World Described, a collection of thirty large, double-sided maps which saw numerous editions. In these maps, Moll's skill as an engraver is evident.
A characteristic of Moll is his tendency to engrave indignant notes on many of his maps, especially those larger maps printed on two sheets, complaining of plagiarism and deriding his competitors. Nevertheless, it would not be unfair to rank him as England's first geographer, a style he adopted from the early 1700s.
Two of the most famous Moll maps are known respectively as the Beaver Map and the Codfish Map. They were distinctive for their elaborate cartouches and images.
"Moll's maps were in his lifetime and after very influential, and are still among the most sought-after aesthetic engravings in the history of cartography."
A New and Exact Map of the United Provinces, or Netherlands, &c.
Item Number: 25843 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > The Netherlands
Map of the Netherlands by H. Moll.
With an inset of the North Sea and a panel at right with city views and plans: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Middelburg, Utrecht, Groningen, the Arx Brittanica and 't Loo.
Date of the first edition: 1715
Date of this map: 1715
Copper engraving, printed from two plates, joined.
Size (not including margins): 61.5 x 101.5cm (24 x 39.6 inches)
Verso: Blank
Condition: Original coloured in outline, skilfully restored at left centre.
Condition Rating: C
References: Van der Heijden-Blonk, #64 1st state;.
From: Moll Herman, The World Described, or a New and Correct Sett of Maps . . . London, J. & T. Bowles, 1715.
Herman Moll (1654? – 1732)
Herman Moll, a geographer and cartographer, was born in Bremen and went to London about 1675, possibly as a refugee from the turmoil of the Scanian Wars of 1674 to 1679.
At first, he practised as an engraver and then, starting in 1694, moved into atlas production. His range of atlases and maps produced for other publishers is extensive.
Around 1715 Moll issued The World Described, a collection of thirty large, double-sided maps which saw numerous editions. In these maps, Moll's skill as an engraver is evident.
A characteristic of Moll is his tendency to engrave indignant notes on many of his maps, especially those larger maps printed on two sheets, complaining of plagiarism and deriding his competitors. Nevertheless, it would not be unfair to rank him as England's first geographer, a style he adopted from the early 1700s.
Two of the most famous Moll maps are known respectively as the Beaver Map and the Codfish Map. They were distinctive for their elaborate cartouches and images.
"Moll's maps were in his lifetime and after very influential, and are still among the most sought-after aesthetic engravings in the history of cartography."